A Slave Master and her Slaves by melody dupree (websites to read books for free txt) 📖

pillow behind my head and looked back up at the canvas roof over my head as I thought about the future of my son instead of where my family came from. My son shifted in my arms and started coughing up blood. I pulled him into a sitting position and leaned him over the back of the wagon so nothing would get stained and then once he had stopped coughing I pulled him back into my arms and soothed him back to sleep. My master looked at him and then at me before I answered an unspoken question.

“He has a medical condition and every now and again he starts coughing up blood to clear his lungs,” I whispered and my master shook his head.

“I am going to have him looked at,” my master said and I nodded.

"It is genetic, sir," I said and my master nodded.

I leaned back once more and laid my son against my chest in order to keep his breathing easy and gentle. I pulled the blanket tighter around him and closed my eyes not really caring if I went to sleep or not. Once his breathing evened out I wrapped my arms around him and thought once more about the land my family had come from. After a while I fell asleep and dreamed about the ships that carried us away from our home. My mother had said she had been with child at the time and that child was me. Our former owner had been kind enough to not sell me for all I was worth and kept my small family together. When I awoke it was dawn and my master was fast asleep not even covered in a blanket. I opened the trunk and pulled out a blanket and quietly I placed it over him and went back to my corner of the wagon. I closed my eyes and waited for him to wake up and I noticed my son was shaking. The blanket was folded at our feet so I figured out that he must have gotten hot and thrown it off of us. I picked up the blanket and shook it out and then wrapped it around my son once more.

“You are very careful with him,” a voice said breaking the silence that was all around us.

I turned my head and nodded in answer as I realized my master had been awake the entire time. I looked down and stroked my son’s face gently before I kissed the top of his head. It wasn’t often I could show him affection. Especially with my work load back on the plantation, I was always busy and never able to find the time to be with my son. Now I desperately hoped things would be different where we were going and I could be with my son more often.

“What will I have to do when we arrive at your home sir,” I asked and he looked thoughtful for a few seconds.

“I just want you and your family to get used to the ways of my home first and I am putting you in the kitchen with my butler because I can tell you are very handy with making food,” my master said and I nodded with a smile on my face.

“I was the best because I had the best teacher and friend showing me how to cook, sir,” I replied and went on as he gestured for more information.

Throughout the day I was asked questions and I answered honestly as the need arose and lied only once only for him to call me out on it with a smile. I sat back only to have to help my son clear his lungs as he started coughing up blood again. I sat there for a while and noticed that Anthony was snoring lightly so I sat him back against my chest and covered him with a blanket that would keep him warm throughout the day and the night. I wrapped my arms around him and he snuggled against my chest. I looked at my master and saw that he was a little upset about something.

“Is something wrong master,” I asked quietly and he looked me in my eyes.

“Your son has the name of a white man meaning that your son isn’t really your son,” he said and I shook my head.

“I found Anthony with my master’s daughter and she asked me to take him away because he was black. I thought better than to kill him or leave him to die so I asked if I could raise him as my own. It’s always been a secret who Anthony’s father is but I know he’s mine because there was one night my master’s daughter had run away and I was sent after her. We stayed in an Inn together and I did something I wasn’t supposed to do but if I had refused her orders I would have been hung. I have always regretted the night I slept with my master’s daughter,” I explained and he looked at me appalled.

“You mean to tell me that Micah sold his own flesh and blood to me,” he asked and I shook my head again.

“Sandra never told her father about the child and I couldn’t face him with the truth when he wouldn’t see it as an order from his daughter. He would have seen what I did as a crime that would only be punishable by death. I don’t know how he knew Anthony was my son but I am glad he doesn’t know who his mother is. Sandra and I both agreed to never tell her father about the child unless she was safely married away or I was sold to someone else who lived far away from there. I guess he might be more than furious when he finds out but I know I deserve whatever comes my way,” I said and he nodded.

“Sandra has always been a smart and curious girl. She probably wanted to know what it was like to sleep with a man of color,” my master said.

I let out a weak laugh and settled in for the night with a prayer that my former master did not come after us to take Anthony away from me.

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Publication Date: 09-21-2013

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